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Daily: Laboratory test: 7,659 Severe cases: 752 New recovered: 1,052 New deaths: 25 New cases: 1,981

Total: Laboratory test: 2,301,145 Active cases: 39,213 Total recovered: 150,642 Total deaths: 2,718 Total cases: 192,575
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Media files

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (24 March 2021)

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Twenty patients have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 in tests carried out today at Quarantine Centers and OPD Services in Gash Barka, Central, Anseba, Northern Red Sea, and, Southern Regions.

Out of these, seven patients are from Quarantine Centers in Ali Ghidir (3), Adibara (2), Ghirmaika (1), and, Om-Hajer (1), in Gash Barka Region. Six patients are from Quarantine Centers and OPD Services in Asmara, Central Region. Three patients are from the Quarantine Center in Keren, Anseba Region. Three patients are from Quarantine Centers in Karora (2), and Ghindae (1), Northern Red Sea Region. The last patient is from a Quarantine Center in Mendefera, Southern Region.
On the other hand, thirty nine patients who have been receiving medical treatment in hospitals in the Central (21), and, Gash Barka (18), Regions have recovered fully and have been discharged from these facilities.
The total number of recovered patients to-date has accordingly risen to 2,962, while the number of deaths stands at eight.
The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has increased to 3,183.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea. Media files

Coronavirus – Eritrea: Announcement from the Ministry of Health (24 March 2021)

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Today, 1,540 people have tested positive to the disease, from a sample size of 9,348.

Our positivity rate is at 16.5%. From the cases 1,446 are Kenyans while 94 are foreigners.
Nairobi has 865, Nakuru 139, Machakos 82, Kiambu 76, Kajiado 42, Uasin Gishu 36, Turkana 33, Mombasa 29, Kericho 20, Kisumu 20, Trans Nzoia 17, Kitui 17, Narok 14, Migori 13, Bomet 12, Bungoma 12, Kilifi 12, Nyeri 12, Garissa 12, Nandi 12, Kisii 8, Laikipia 7, Meru 7, Tharaka Nithi 7, Mandera 6, Nyandarua 6, Siaya 4, Kakamega 3, Elgeyo Marakwet 3, Busia 2, Makueni 2, Murang’a 2, Baringo 2, Tana River 1, West Pokot 1, Homa Bay 1, Kirinyaga 1, Kwale 1 and Lamu 1.
184 patients have recovered from the disease, 95 are from the Home Based &#038; Isolation Care while 89 are from various health facilities. Total recoveries now stand at 90,770.
18 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours. 1 has occurred in the last 24 hours while 17 are late death reports from facility record audits. The cumulative fatalities is now 2,066. Our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their loved ones.
1,073 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 3,315 patients are on Home Based Isolation and Care.  141 patients are in the ICU, 34 of whom are on ventilatory support and 99 on supplemental oxygen. 8 patients are on observation.
Another 60 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 48 of them in the general wards and 12 in the High Dependency Unit (HDU).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (24 March 2021)

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Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi announces one new COVID-19 death in Eswatini, taking total deaths to 666. &#8220;May his soul rest in peace.&#8221;

New cases: 5 Total cases: 17,301 Active cases: 455 New recoveries: 74 Total recoveries: 16,175 New death: 1 Total deaths: 666
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (24 March 2021)

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Africa urgently needs more COVID-19 vaccine supplies as deliveries begin to slow down and initial batches are nearly exhausted in some countries. The continent has so far administered 7.7 million vaccine doses mainly to high-risk population groups.

Forty-four African countries have received vaccines through the COVAX Facility or through donations and bilateral agreements, and 32 of them have begun vaccinations. The COVAX Facility has supplied nearly 16 million doses to 28 countries since launching deliveries to the continent on 24 February. Countries have made significant progress in reaching high-risk populations targeted in the initial phase of the rollout, including health workers, elderly people and people with conditions such as diabetes, which make them particularly vulnerable. Ghana has administered over 470 000 doses, while Rwanda has delivered 345 000 doses. In Angola, health workers account for more than half of those vaccinated.
While the COVAX deliveries have enabled many African countries to roll out vaccinations, a critical proportion of the population targeted in the initial phase of the vaccination campaign may remain unvaccinated for months to come due to global supply chain constraints. In 10 African countries, vaccines have not yet arrived.
“A slowdown in vaccine supply could prolong the painful journey to end this pandemic for millions of people in Africa,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “While some high-income countries are seeking to vaccinate their entire populations, many in Africa are struggling to sufficiently cover even their high-risk groups. Acquiring COVID-19 vaccines must not be a competition. Fair access will benefit all and not just some of us.”
Most African countries are participating actively in the COVAX Facility. The platform – co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and WHO in partnership with UNICEF – aims to deliver enough vaccine doses to immunize at least 20% of Africa’s population in 2021.
However, COVID-19 vaccine demand is placing an enormous strain on the global manufacturing system which has an annual capacity of 3–5 billion vaccine doses. Up to 14 billion COVID-19 vaccines may be needed globally. To support manufacturers, WHO is urging greater global collaboration on supply chain issues, ensuring that manufacturers with excess supply can be linked to companies that have fill-and-finish capacity.
The COVAX Facility is exploring ways of dose-sharing by high income countries that have surplus stocks to encourage the release of these vaccines even before countries finish vaccinating their own people. While it is encouraging that high-income countries have promised to do this these, commitments now need concrete action.
WHO is urging efforts to be made towards equitable vaccine distribution, including strengthening local production in Africa to meet demand, promoting technology transfer and reducing intellectual property barriers. The Organization also encourages collaboration with the private sector to help secure and deliver vaccines such as the initiative by South African telecom firm MTN that has delivered 723 000 vaccines to nine African countries.
The downward trend of the pandemic trajectory in Africa seen since early January has slowed down to a plateau for the past five weeks. While most countries in the continent have seen their epidemiologic curve flatten, 11 countries, including Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya have recorded a rising infection trend in recent weeks. The rise in cases is likely linked to super-spreader events such as mass gatherings as well as a relaxation by the population in observing public health measures.
During the past four weeks deaths in Africa have dropped by 45% compared with the previous four weeks, but the case fatality rate for cumulative deaths for the continent is 2.7% which is still higher than the global cumulative case fatality rate of 2.2%.
The WHO Regional Office for Africa held a virtual press conference today facilitated by APO Group during which Dr Richard Mihigo, the Immunization and Vaccine Development Programme Coordinator at the Regional Office, briefed on vaccine rollout in Africa. He was joined by Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Director General Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Professor Anthony Costello, Professor of Global Health and Sustainable Development, University College London, and Dr Georges Ki-Zerbo, WHO Representative in Guinea.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

WHO urges equitable COVID-19 vaccine access to widen reach in Africa

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Technology sectors such as FinTech, InsureTech, AgriTech, eCommerce, HealthTech, and CleanTech are not only solving some of Africa’s most pressing problems, they are also contributing significantly to the continent’s economy. In fact, the so-called Internet economy is set to reach 5.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025, contributing about $180-billion to the African economy [1]. To develop the potential of startups driving the Internet economy, Telecel Group (www.TelecelGroup.com) has opened applications for the ASIP Accelerator Program (https://bit.ly/3spZyNx), powered by Startupbootcamp AfriTech (https://bit.ly/2QzneRv). The Program helps startups achieve 18-24 months of growth in just three months. Now, the next generation of early-stage African tech startups disrupting a wide range of industry sectors are being sought.

Ten startups will be selected to participate in the Program that will give them access to expert-led masterclasses covering scaling fundamentals – from the business model canvas, and lean methodology, to fundraising. They will also receive tailored mentorship from carefully selected mentors who will provide hands-on support and valuable introductions. Plus, they will be connected with venture capitalists and angel investors from around the world and get to meet the leading corporates in their industries for pilot projects and partnership opportunities.
Over and above all this, the successful startups will receive €15,000 in cash and have access to over €500,000 in exclusive partner deals from leading technology providers such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, HubSpot, and SendGrid, amongst others.
The three-month Program will conclude with a digital Demo Day during which startups will present their newly scaled up solutions to hundreds of investors, corporates, mentors and press attendees. Notably, the participants will continue to receive support long after the Program ends via the Alumni Growth Program which offers access to alumni-only events, deals and tailored introductions.
Twenty-nine startups completed the first Startupbootcamp AfriTech Program and 90% of participating startups are still operating and scaling at impressive rates. What’s more, 40% have raised follow-on rounds of funding, with the average increase in valuation being 10x since their Demo Day.
In addition to corporate partner, Telecel Group, Program sponsors include Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, Hubspot, VC4A and Cloudworx. There are a limited number of slots for additional corporate Founding Partners to join the consortium. These partners will have the rare opportunity to help determine the key challenge areas that will be the focus of the Program’s startup scouting and sit on the exclusive selection committee that will choose the top 10 startups to participate in the Program. Additionally, they will have the chance to engage in curated pilot and proof of concept projects with select startups to accelerate innovation within their organisations. Corporates that are interested to amplify their internal Innovation Agenda  can email afritech@startupbootcamp.org.
The completely virtual, Pan-African Program kicks off in July 2021. Applications are open now and will remain so until 14 May. To apply, or for more information, go to https://bit.ly/SBC-ASIP
1. https://bit.ly/3lNUU9A
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Startupbootcamp.
About the ASIP Accelerator Powered by SBC AfriTech: This program will be 100% virtual and the first cohort will be run entirely through remote learning and mentoring &#8211; from the initial scouting process through Demo Day. SBC AfriTech will source scalable and innovative technology solutions applicable to diversified financial services, insurance, logistics, agriculture, digital health, and other rapidly changing industries. To find out more and join the consortium as a founding partner, please email afritech@startupbootcamp.org.
With this new and unique program, Startupbootcamp brings together top startups from around the world, a mentor network of renowned industry experts and entrepreneurs and major players in banking, insurance, consultancy, leasing and technology as founding partners. Startupbootcamp will provide each team with EUR 15,000, free office space, access to funding and a network of industry partners, investors and venture capital firms. 
The accelerator is anchored by leading corporate sponsors Telecel that will support and grow the program and selected startups. Global sponsors include Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud.
About Startupbootcamp AfriTech: Startupbootcamp AfriTech was launched in 2017 as the first multi corporate-backed pan-African startup accelerator. We run world class accelerator programmes, working with some of the most disruptive startups on the continent. We provide access to our global network of corporate partners, investors and mentors. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/sbcafritech.
About Telecel Group: Telecel Group operates in four different lines of Business all under the telecom industry: (1) Telecel Mobile, owns and operates several mobile operators in Africa. (2) Telecel Global, offers a multitude of services to MNOs such as VOICE, SMS, DATA, IPTV, international traffic, VAS, and Quadruple play. (3) Telecel Play Application with an African identity innovating the E-Commerce. (4) Africa Startup initiative program, which targets innovative startups in the region of Africa while offering them support and guidance. For more information on the Telecel Group program, visit www.TelecelGroup.com.
About Africa Startup Initiative Program:
ASIP is a program founded by Moh Damush, Telecel Group CEO as a CSR activity. ASI Program contributes in a meaningful way to the African Continent to support the young Startups whose innovative ideas are creating a difference in their communities, exposes them to the international organizations, and bridges the knowledge and expertise to allow them to attract partners that can add value to their Startups.
Our goal is to discover Africa’s most talented entrepreneurs operating in the fields of telecom and technology, and help them create successful companies at scale. We support the startups via our Accelerator and Investment Programs. The Accelerator program provides the startups with coaching and mentoring, workshops, access to markets, and education. The Investment Program emphasizes access to investors, funding, grants, angel investments, and venture capital. For more information on the ASIP, visit www.ASIProgram.com.
Media files

Africa’s Best Corporate-Startup Collaboration Accelerator Now Open for Applications from the Most Disruptive Startups on the Continent

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Total cases: 21,106 (+131) Recovered: 19,441 (+131) | 92.1% Active cases: 1,368 In critical condition: 2 Tests: 1,098,629 (+3,456) Test positivity rate: 3.8% Vaccinated: 348,629 (+4,906) Deaths: 297 (+2) | 1.4%
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda. Media files

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (24 March 2021)

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By Shantel Mufandaidza

Created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement in 2018, the African Continental Free Trade Area (&#8220;AfCFTA&#8221;) came into effect on 1 January 2021. Since the World Trade Organization creation, the AfCFTA is the largest free trade area globally, with 54 out of 55 nations of the African Union, many of which have already ratified the agreement. Estimations forecast that this free trade area will positively impact Africa&#39;s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), resulting in welfare gains for citizens, facilitate trade growth, and improve Africa&#39;s trade deficit. While Africa has substantial natural resources, it has not received significant benefits from the extraction and export of such resources, particularly in oil &#038; gas. Will AfCFTA have an impact on oil &#038; gas industry exports?
Oil and gas and mineral resources account for more than 75% of Africa&#39;s exports, and the continent&#39;s potential for growth in oil &#038; gas is significant. Estimations at the end of 2017 indicated that Africa has 487.7 tcf of proven gas reserves (7.1% of proven global reserves), while Africa&#39;s proven oil reserves are in the region of 125 billion bbl [1].
While this is the case, countries, unfortunately, do not benefit from their resources. For example, while Nigeria is a large exporter of crude oil, domestic benefits are minimal. The citizens still stay in questionable conditions plagued by limited electricity supply and unemployment. Further, the estimated average of 22 hours without electricity per month means lost sales revenues of up to 10% or more for a large proportion of Africa&#39;s businesses. Africa&#39;s oil &#038; gas resources can help accelerate growth on the continent if used strategically. With the AfCFTA in effect, intra-Africa trading will become much easier and benefit African countries more than it has in the past. Trade barriers such as high import tariffs have left many African countries vulnerable to the international market, which resells our resources at higher prices. The AfCFTA will potentially curb this, as oil &#038; gas producing countries will benefit from global markets and the domestic market. Focusing more on growing intracontinental oil and gas trade will give countries autonomy to govern their international trade agreements, which have often left African countries on the losing end.
Analysis indicates that the AfCFTA will make room for the generation of GDPs that can positively impact African economies&#39;, create employment, and impact infrastructural development. While this is a necessary benefit that will positively impact Africa, it is already a continent plagued by corruption, which has resulted in the delayed development of essential infrastructure required to facilitate the ease of trade through the AfCFTA. For example, Angola is the largest exporter of gas on the continent and stands to benefit much from the domestic supply of gas to neighboring countries; however, the rampant corruption in Angola has hurt the necessary infrastructure necessary for the country to supply its neighbors with gas. The only way the AfCFTA would positively impact the oil and gas industry is by promoting significant investments in roads, ports, and other physical infrastructure. African governments must be serious about financing the regional infrastructure and investment needed to make AfCFTA a game-changer. They need to mobilize the continent&#39;s financial resources without increasing the risk of debt distress. While there is no universal formula for industrialization, African countries need to tailor-make their economic development strategy and industrial policy that fits their unique circumstances.
Africa suffers from an energy deficit which is unfortunate for a continent that is so rich in resources. Africa&#39;s problem lies in the inability to utilize these resources for domestic benefit, and the hope is that the AfCFTA helps achieve this goal. To attain such regional socio-economic development, governments need to have a strong commitment to tackle corruption and make firm commitments to developing their own countries to ensure the booming trade and supply of oil and gas. If the continent pivots from
an extractive exportation structure with oil and gas, it can secure more sustainable and inclusive trade that is not dependent on the fluctuation of commodity prices on the international market. The continent has countries rich in oil and gas and the capacity to have a firm footing on the sector with the assistance of the AfCFTA and more favorable trading terms intra-regionally. Nigeria has already set its intentions on becoming the largest oil refining hub on the continent, while Angola hopes to export gas to its neighboring countries. The AfCFTA will facilitate trade and the evolution of existing commerce lines within Africa and not necessarily radically revolutionize the space. However, in sectors like oil &#038; gas, where corruption is rampant, this evolution will be crucially determined by transformations of existing governance structures and infrastructure. For as long as corruption is a continuing practice, the gains from domestically trading our natural resources might not be as significant as they could be.
Furthermore, the AfCFTA will trigger substantial investment in the oil and gas industry from countries overseas such as the United States and other European countries, mainly because the AfCFTA changes investors&#39; value proposition by providing a larger market with lower risk. Firstly, the AfCFTA expands the market by providing a single market with reduced cross-border barriers; investors can thus undertake larger revenue projects on a regional scale rather than a national scale. Before AfCFTA, approximately 25% of all intra-African exports in 2017 were for oil, gas, and electrical energy. With the effectiveness of the AfCFTA, the economies of scale are available for regional power solutions, Africa can reasonably expect the power export market to expand markedly. The anticipated prospect of regional power solutions is already attracting increased investment in African power projects, which would have been unfeasible before AfCFTA. For instance, Botswana and Namibia are developing a substantial 5000MW solar project to provide and trade power with 12 neighbouring countries, supported in part by Power Africa and other World Economic Forum members. This heavyweight project will create investment opportunities for every aspect of goods and services along the program&#39;s value chain. In this respect, the AfCFTA will provide a protocol for the reasonable resolution of investor-state disputes. This protocol should make the investment with African countries, particularly in capital-intensive oil and power projects, less risky for the investors and African countries. Before AfCFTA, in addition to regular business risk, investment in Africa&#39;s oil and power industries was subject to a host of additional risks, ranging from contract regulation to outright expropriation.
The current coronavirus pandemic has stalled the effective implementation of the AfCFTA, delaying the potential positive impacts of the free trade area. Also, acknowledging the continuous threat of global warming in the Paris Peace Agreement requires the oil and gas industry to innovate its operations, requiring extractive procedures that will not damage the communities where oil and gas is sourced. The oil and gas industry needs to look beyond itself to fully achieve the gains of the AfCFTA and overcome those challenges.
To conclude, the AfCFTA holds excellent potential for Africa. The benefits of improved efficiency on the continent and encouragement of competition on the markets will be significantly felt on the continent and boost development. Besides, the potential influence towards creating solutions to regional challenges through regional economies of scale is one of the most significant advantages of successfully implementing the AfCFTA. This would be a potential game-changer for the oil and gas industry and African commerce overall.
By Shantel Mufandaidza, Associate Attorney, Centurion Law Group
1. Inside Africa&#39;s Oil &#038; Gas Industry In 2019 available at https://bit.ly/3fcfTBA
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Centurion Law Group. Media files

What impact will the AfCFTA have on the oil and gas industry? (By Shantel Mufandaidza)

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Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa. Media files

WHO Africa COVID-19 Online Briefing

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Water security is critical to building resilient communities and economic empowerment across Africa. As part of its week-long celebration of World Water Day (March 22), The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) announced the achievement of the Replenish Africa Initiative’s (RAIN) current goal to improve access to clean water for 6 million people. 

RAIN, launched in 2009, is TCCF’s flagship clean water program in Africa contributing to helping countries across the continent achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6). Today’s 6 million person achievement is the result of a collective effort from over 300 international and local public, private and civil society partners. As part of the celebrations for World Water Day 2021, RAIN partners gathered virtually today for a panel discussion to mark the achievement of the program and share best practices for replication from the program.
“RAIN is a testament to the power of collective action,” said Bea Perez, Chair and President, The Coca-Cola Foundation. “Working with our partners, RAIN’s transformative impact can be felt today in 4,000 African communities. This program drives impact for the Sustainable Development Goals and our focus on People, Communities, and the Environment.”
Over the course of the past decade, RAIN has improved access to clean water for communities, schools, and clinics across 41 African countries as well as enhanced access to hygiene and promoted better hygiene behaviors. The program has also enabled the economic empowerment of people by creating opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and skills generation. In addition, RAIN has helped to protect critical watersheds, supported several African utilities in coping with the rapidly growing water demand in cities, and delivered essential hygiene items and personal protective equipment to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
RAIN has developed a number of important learnings and recommendations, including:
 	Emphasize partnerships with urban and peri-urban utilities to help increase their capacity to better serve Africa’s expanding urban environments; 	Accelerate integrated water resources management efforts to decrease stress on food production, water supply and sanitation services; 	Enhance source protection for priority watersheds that serve the drinking water needs of millions of Africans; 	Address the gender gap and focusing on the needs of women who play a critical role in community resilience and are uniquely empowered by WASH access; 	Improve the collection, accessibility, sharing and use of data to monitor WASH services, improve performance, planning and decision making; 	Support civil society and communities to help build resilience to water-related climate change impacts. 
“Africa is experiencing the highest rate of urban growth globally and is home to 21 of the world’s 30 fastest-growing cities,” said Bruno Pietracci, President for The Coca-Cola Company’s Africa operating unit. “Africa is also more vulnerable to climate change than any other region. The Coca-Cola Foundation is committed to working with communities and governments to enhance climate change adaptation and help address the challenges that urbanization creates for the delivery of clean water and sanitation throughout the continent.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Coca Cola Foundation.
Media Contact: Name: Amel Benchikh El Houcine Email: abenchikh@coca-cola.com
About The Coca-Cola Foundation: The Coca-Cola Foundation is the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception in 1984, the Foundation has given back more than $1 billion   to enable the empowerment of women, enhance communities, protect the environment and educate scholars   around the world. For more information about The Coca-Cola Foundation, please visit www.Coca-ColaCompany.com/giving-back.
About GETF: The Global Environment &#038; Technology Foundation (GETF), established in 1988, is a leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to accelerate sustainable development through partnerships that deliver impact at scale. GETF builds and manages high impact public-private partnerships improving the lives of over 10 million people in 77 countries through water access, sanitation and hygiene, health systems strengthening, entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, sustainable agriculture and climate resilience. Partnership platforms under GETF’s management include the Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN), The Coca-Cola Foundation’s signature community water initiative, the Water and Development Alliance (WADA), and Project Last Mile Partnership (PLM) both partnerships between The Coca-Cola Company and USAID. GETF serves as the Secretariat for two high-impact water coalitions – Global Water Challenge and the US Water Partnership.  For more information visit www.GETF.org.
Media files

Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) Positively Impacting 6 million Lives Through Improved Clean Water Access, Sanitation Across Continent

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The inter-party online conference drew attention to the developments of Africa’s energy market, navigating relations on the continent for Russia-Africa partnerships and highlighting the announcement of the creation of the Russia-Africa Energy Committee aimed at developing clean power and strategic framework towards the continent’s energy crisis.

While the agenda for the United Russia Party is aimed at growing Russian presence on the continent, Presidents and delegates across Africa were able to address their countries economic challenges, technological advances, and declare a call for vaccines to be produced in Africa and distributed to the frontline workers in healthcare and energy workers working offshore, onshore and on public utilities.

&#8220;Attention needs to be focused on moving away from MOU’s with African companies to closing deals. Russia can play a great role in financing energy projects and gas development in Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Nigeria and other countries. Russian companies working on training and building logistics infrastructure can be a path to building a strong local content framework that drives our energy sector&#8221; said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Russia continues to be a powerful player in the global energy market as it raised concerns on how Russia-Africa relations can create strong relationships to support an enabling environment, together with Africa’s role in implementing innovative smart power solutions for a post-COVID-19 world and ensuring a sustainable and diversified energy mix.

&#8220;We will be setting up a special Russia-Africa Energy Committee with our advisory board to focus on developing energy projects and closing deals. Many young people in Russia and Africa want results and not talk. We need to look at the mirror of the Russian-Africa relationship. We need to not only reflect what we see but correct what we see,&#8221; concluded Ayuk.

Across Africa, new systems and networks can be designed around future environmental stressors and energy demands without considering the limitations of old infrastructure. With advanced use of mobile technology in Africa and the lack of existing electricity transmission networks, these developments allow communities in Africa to gain access to power by leapfrogging the traditional model of centralized generation and transmission of power.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. Media files

Russia-Africa Energy Committee to drive investment and deal-making in the energy sector

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A Cash Against Documents transaction orchestrated by Saudi-based ITFC (www.ITFC-IDB.org) was successfully completed between SOFITEX (www.SOFITEX.bf) and Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) (www.LDC.com), using an electronic bill of lading issued by the CMA CGM Group (www.CMA-CGM.com), a world leader in shipping and logistics, through Bolero’s (www.Bolero.net) digital trade finance platform for the first time.

The transaction concerned a cotton shipment originating from Burkina Faso, shipped by CMA CGM Group from the Port of Lomé in Togo.
Bolero’s cutting-edge platform executed the encrypted exchange of documents rapidly and smoothly, accelerating a process that would usually take weeks as parties exchanged physical documentation across Burkina Faso, Togo, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland.
Abou Jallow, General Manager of Operations at ITFC said “With a mandate to advance trade across the developing world, ITFC is committed to working closely with our partners in member countries to capitalise on the digitalization of global trade. Facilitating this online trade transaction for our partners in Burkina Faso marks a crucial milestone in the digitalization of trade in Africa, and we can expect to see improved efficiency across the entire trade cycle. By embracing technology through platforms such as Bolero’s, we can ensure greater visibility, transparency, accountability, and control in the trade of strategic commodities such as cotton.”
“Bolero’s platform is designed to enable trading partners to collaborate securely and efficiently, removing the traditional hurdles of international trade while remaining fully compliant with international standards and regulations,” said Jacco DeJong, Global Sales Manager at Bolero.
Raymond added; “With its enhanced user experience, the platform delivers greater functionality and seamless integration with banks and other third-party systems, providing end-to-end visibility to corporate clients and banks.”
This transaction is a prime example of the development of digital business in Africa, thanks to collaboration amongst the bank, exporter, trader and carrier.
“By digitizing documentation exchanges and payment processes, Bolero’s platform accelerates trade transactions and demonstrates the potential to drive efficiency in trade operations for the benefit of all trade participants, by combining technology with collaboration,” said Lise Théophile, Middle Office Execution Manager for LDC’s Cotton Platform.  
“This is an important step for the maritime industry. Digitalization is a core pillar of CMA CGM strategy. We have been following up on developments and collaborated with BOLERO for years. We were looking forward to this important step. E-BLs facilitate documentation flow between carriers, shippers and banks. With the global sanitary situation, it has become obvious that we must speed up the transition to electronic transmission of international sales documentation. CMA CGM E-Commerce teams have prepared for the challenge and we are ready to develop E-BLs with our global customers.”, said Marc Bourdon, Senior Vice President commercial and agencies network of the CMA CGM Group.
Lassana Kargougou, Sales Director at SOFITEX added “Our first digital shipping consignment via Bolero’s platform was a real success. Eliminating documentary collection delays, which can take up to 21 days, to being able to retain and access all shipping documents in one place without the risk of misplacing them, has increased both efficiency and confidence across the entire process. We are now happy to extend the use of the platform to other partners to digitize the Cash-Against-Documents process related to the sale of cotton fiber”.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
Press Release Contact: Bolero International Joanna Elliott The Whiteoaks Consultancy Tel: + 44 (0) 1252 727313 joannae@whiteoaks.co.uk
International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Raghda Elsharawy Senior Manager, Corporate Communications Email: relsharawy@itfc-idb.org
Tel: +966 12 646 8337 Fax: +966 12 637 1064 E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org Twitter: @ITFCCORP Facebook: @ITFCCORP LinkedIn: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)
CMA CGM media@cma-cgm.com Twitter: https://bit.ly/2P2bpD2 LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3tR1WND Facebook: https://bit.ly/3d8wjbQ Instagram: https://bit.ly/31dAptp YouTube: https://bit.ly/39bsvVI
Joanna Elliott The Whiteoaks Consultancy Tel: + 44 (0) 1252 727313 joannae@whiteoaks.co.uk
About Bolero International: Established in 1998 by SWIFT and the global logistics and insurance industry, Bolero International has built a strong reputation and market leadership position in driving the digitisation of global trade.
Bolero delivers secure, end-to-end, cloud-based services across the entire global supply chain. By digitising trade processes and transactions, providing greater visibility, transparency and control, Bolero is making trade safer, smarter and faster.
About the International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC): The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided US$55 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.
About Louis Dreyfus Company: Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods. The company leverages its global reach and extensive asset network to serve customers and consumers around the world, delivering the right products to the right location, at the right time – safely, responsibly and reliably. Its activities span the entire value chain from farm to fork, across a broad range of business lines (platforms). Since 1851, its portfolio has grown to include Grains &#038; Oilseeds, Coffee, Cotton, Juice, Rice, Sugar, Freight and Global Markets. The company helps to feed and clothe some 500 million people every year by originating, processing and transporting approximately 80 million tons of products. Structured as a matrix organization of six geographical regions and eight platforms, Louis Dreyfus Company is active in over 100 countries and employs approximately 18,000 people globally.
About CMA CGM: Led by Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group is a world leader in shipping and logistics.
Its 489 vessels serve more than 420 ports on five continents around the world and carried nearly 22 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2019. With CEVA Logistics, a world leader in logistics services, CMA CGM handles more than 500,000 tons of airfreight and 1.9 million tons of inland freight every year.
CMA CGM is constantly innovating to offer customers new maritime, inland and logistics solutions.
Present on every continent and in 160 countries through its network of 755 offices and 750 warehouses, the Group employs 110,000 people worldwide, of which 2,400 in Marseille where its head office is located.
About SOFITEX: SOFITEX is a major player in the cotton industry based in Burkina Faso. As Burkina’s first agricultural export product, cotton is truly one of the main levers of socio-economic development. SOFITEX employs around 5,000 workers and its activity covers:
 	Purchase, transport and ginning of seed cotton 	Marketing of fiber and seed 	Supply of farmers with agricultural inputs 	Aid for the development of cotton and associated crops through technical support, services and participation in financing measures necessary for research and development. 	Direct promotion of textile fibers.

International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) conducts first transaction with partners on Bolero trade finance platform

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Team Qhubeka (www.TeamQhubeka.com) rider Marc Pritzen stormed to victory at the South African Road Race championships in Swellendam, claiming both the elite title and the under 23 title.

On a fantastic day in the Western Cape, Team Qhubeka ASSOS&#39; Nic Dlamini claimed the bronze medal.
21-year-old Pritzen currently rides for our UCI Continental team based in Lucca, Italy, and this victory saw him beat a number of professionals in claiming the biggest win of his career so far.
A former winner of the 947 Ride Joburg as well as a stage victor at the Tour of Good Hope in 2019, Pritzen will now proudly wear the South African jersey when he returns to Europe.
Pritzen&#39;s success sees Team Qhubeka now hold the jerseys of both the South African champion as well as that of the current Ethiopian road race champion Negasi Abreha Haylu, highlighting the hugely important role this team plays in laying a foundation and providing the opportunity from Africa to compete at the highest level. You can read Negasi&#39;s incredible story here &#8211; https://bit.ly/2P6zY1w.
We spoke with Marc to reflect on the special day, and to look into what his ambitions are for the future.
You’ve had some time to reflect on your win, tell us about the day?
Just being back on a bike again and in a race situation, standing on a start line, getting those race nerves and then having not raced in such a long time, made it a unique situation, with nobody really knowing where they were with their form.
The mountain bikers have had some racing but us &#8220;roadies&#8221; haven&#39;t so I feel like it was a bit of unknown territory for most of us. Then we had the WorldTour riders who are always on good form, on another level, so there were all these guys to watch out for. To have Nic racing with me was something special, just being in the same colours as Nic meant a lot.
Then on Sunday, of course, the highlight was the last 3km, I can&#39;t stop playing it over and over in my head: the nerves coming into the finish line, point where &#8220;this is it, it&#39;s now or ever&#8221; and then going into the last corner I almost lost it there, I got swamped by the bunch. I think there was a bit of a lack of attention &#8211; I don&#39;t know &#8211; but it did set me up onto Willie Smit&#39;s wheel so when he went I jumped straightaway and he went super hard.
At that moment I looked back and saw we had a gap, I forgot about the pain and I felt that this is now the time to go. It was still 800m to go so it was quite a long sprint but I think because we had that gap it was a long for anyone to come over and close it. Going over the top and seeing the finish line and looking back again and seeing there was that gap was an unreal moment.
I was in disbelief crossing the finish line. Definitely a very special day, one that I will never forget.
What did it feel like to pull the SA Champs Elite jersey over your head on the podium?
Coming to the podium and then being called up alongside the likes of Willie Smit and Nic Dlamini was a really, really special moment. Standing on the top step, wearing the SA jersey was incredible.
Seeing my parents in front of me, who are always supporting me, just makes me think back to all the hours that we&#39;ve put into this moment.
You will head back to Europe with the Team Qhubeka Continental team, what’s it going to like being presented at races as the SA Champion?
I head back to Italy straight away and this title is going to give me added motivation to go back to join my continental teammates. I honestly don&#39;t know what it&#39;s going to be like being represented as the South African champion in Europe but I can&#39;t wait to go and find out.
I&#39;ve been the u23 South African champion and just lining up in South Africa was a massive privilege, so I can&#39;t wait to see what that&#39;s going to feel like in Europe.
What’s the experience been like racing with the Team Qhubeka Continental team, and what are your ambitions for the future?
With 2020 being the year of the pandemic I didn&#39;t get to race much in Europe but the racing that I did do was definitely an eye-opener. The level there is extremely high and I feel like that was an extra motivation when I returned home at the end of the year.
It gave me that chance to re-analyse things, get my head clear and start building again to this season, knowing now that if I want to compete in Europe that I definitely have to up my game. With not having any races up until now, the SA Champs being my first was a bit of a scary moment. You can see on your (training) numbers if you&#39;ve improved or not but numbers only mean so much in a race.
So for me to come into the SA champs and to win it definitely helps and knowing the work that I&#39;ve done; the mental changes that I&#39;ve made coming into 2021 season has definitely paid off so far.
What are your ambitions for the rest of season and for the future?
The goal for this year is to get some really strong results in Europe and then my definite ambition for 2022 is that I&#39;d like to step up to the pro ranks.
To have been given the opportunity by the team to race in Europe and continue to develop has been incredible, and I&#39;m really excited for the future.
NOTE: Images in this release are courtesy of Cycling South Africa
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.
Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About Team Qhubeka ASSOS: Team Qhubeka ASSOS is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world&#39;s biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016.
We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France.
We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team&#39;s inception.
We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa.
About Qhubeka: Qhubeka is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.
A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go. 
All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release.
Media files

Meet Marc Prtizen: 2021 SA Road Race champion

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Africa’s mobile users are increasingly concerned about the mobile risks and the potential for digital identity theft; however, this is not stopping them from using their favourite messaging platforms and applications.

This emerged in new research carried out by KnowBe4 (www.KnowBe4.com) among over 700 smartphone users in Nigeria, Mauritius, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Morocco and Botswana.
The KnowBe4 Mobile Users in Africa survey gauged the opinions of Africa’s mobile users on the recent decision by WhatsApp to update their terms and conditions, sharing metadata with the rest of the Facebook group of companies. The survey found that not only did the majority of the respondents across Africa intend to continue using WhatsApp; but also, that their favourite alternative to WhatsApp was Facebook Messenger.
Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy &#038; Evangelist Africa at KnowBe4, says the recent WhatsApp privacy policy has spurred public discussions which resulted in more consumer awareness about their privacy rights as well as brought more visibility to alternative tools such as Signal, Telegram, and others.
Collard says: “It is interesting to see that while most mobile users are concerned about their online privacy, Facebook Messenger, which was listed as the top alternative chat app, collects much more data than WhatsApp. This indicates that there may be a lack of understanding about the actual risks and implications of the new policy.”  
The imminent WhatsApp privacy policy change revealed some shifts, however, with 24% of respondents saying they were no longer allowed to use WhatsApp for work and 62% saying they were ‘somewhat concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about the new privacy policy. Around 7.7% of respondents said they had – or planned to – cancel their WhatsApp accounts, with this number rising to 15% among South Africans respondents.
However, for most, the convenience of the platform outweighed concerns about privacy risks; with over half saying they had concerns but would continue using WhatsApp, even though they may have signed up to use other messaging tools. Just over a quarter of respondents had heard about the planned privacy terms changes but did not understand what the risks were.
For those also using alternative messaging tools, Facebook Messenger was the most popular, with over 80% electing to use this platform too. Over 56% also used Telegram, over 12% also used Signal, and 10% or less used Discord, Threema or other messaging platforms.
Collard says: “What’s interesting is that, compared with the 2019 KnowBe4 African Report, respondents were even more concerned about cybercrime. In 2019, 37.86% were worried, and in 2020, the number had risen by 10% to 47.61%. Across all eight countries, we see a growing awareness of the risks that come with cybercrime.
However, she notes, there remains limited awareness of how to avoid risk, and the implications of data privacy terms and conditions. “This indicates a need for further education and awareness initiatives to enlighten the public about risks on social media and messaging platforms,” Collard says.
Education and awareness remain key to protecting mobile users from risks such as identity theft, as well as to prevent potential breaches of sensitive corporate information via messaging platforms, says Collard.
To find out more about the report, download it here &#8211; https://bit.ly/2PlEeKC.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4. Media files

Cybercrime worries on the increase, but Africa’s mobile users loath to leave WhatsApp

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African traders invested 925% more through the global trading provider INFINOX last year compared to 2019; The surge in investor demand came as volumes traded worldwide on INFINOX jumped 28% to hit $553bn in 2020; African and Latin American investors were among the keenest to capitalise on 2020’s volatile market conditions and potential for big returns.

The global trading provider INFINOX (www.INFINOX.co.uk) recorded a 925% surge in trading volumes among African investors in 2020, a year that saw its worldwide trading figures smash through the half trillion mark for the first time.

Latin American investors traded 15% more through INFINOX in 2020 compared to the year before, and the global platform saw total trading volumes jump by 28% to $553bn.

Headquartered in the City of London but with a presence in 15 countries, INFINOX has offices in South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria. Since INFINOX successfully gained regulatory approval in South Africa and Mauritius, African investors have become some of the most active users of its mobile-friendly platform, which enables sophisticated private investors to trade a full range of asset classes, from forex to equities and commodities.

The number of active INFINOX accounts held by Africa-based investors rose by 831% in 2020 compared to 2019. The number of active investors in Latin America jumped by 158% during the same period.

The rise in new customers – and the surge in investment – came as global markets went through a prolonged period of volatility. African investors traded more in October 2020 than in any other month of the year, as October saw the chaotic final weeks of campaigning in the US Presidential election and market sentiment balanced on a knife edge.

Last year also saw INFINOX, which was founded in 2009, evolve its offering. In 2020 the group launched IX Social (https://bit.ly/3tSgtsC), a community trading app that puts the world’s financial markets at users’ fingertips while also enabling them to share their knowledge – and the fun – of real-time trading with an international community of investors.

The brand’s international growth strategy has seen it ramp up its global headcount by more than a third (38%) and diversify into providing vital trading infrastructure to some of the world’s leading exchanges.

It has secured a major first in South America, where it has been selected by the Brasil Bolsa Balcão – the world’s third largest derivatives exchange, known as the B3 – to provide ‘market maker’ infrastructure enabling Brazilian investors to trade FX futures and S&#038;P 500 Micro futures in their home market for the first time.

Robert Berkeley, CEO of INFINOX, said: 

“African investors have quickly become a key part of INFINOX’s global growth story. Our combination of a seamless user experience, access to a full range of asset classes and the reassurance that comes from knowing we’re authorised by trusted regulators including South Africa’s FSCA, have made us the broker of choice for ambitious African traders.

“All of our platforms are intuitive and mobile-friendly, and the launch of our community trading app IX Social is now bringing the excitement and power of real-time trading to a whole new audience, both in Africa and beyond.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of INFINOX Capital.
Notes to editor: For further information on INFINOX Capital visit www.INFINOX.co.uk For further information on B3 visit www.b3.com.br For more information, please contact Jack Izzard of Rhizome Media on 07791 106822 or jack@rhizomemedia.co
About Infinox: INFINOX Capital Ltd is a global, online trading provider based in the City of London. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, it enables clients across the UK, EU and beyond to trade a full range of asset classes, from forex to equities and commodities.
Its business is built on integrity and trust, and it offers customers access to a range of market intelligence tools as well as dynamic products, competitive trading parameters and premium, one-on-one customer service.

Locked Down but Trading Up: African Investors Trade 925% More on the INFINOX Platform

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By Chuku, Adamon Mukasa and Yaye Betty Camara

Africa is set to recover from its worst recession in half a century. Real GDP is projected to grow by 3.4% in 2021 after contracting by an estimated 2.1% in 2020, mainly due to COVID-19 related disruptions, according to the African Development Bank’s (www.AfDB.org) recently released African Economic Outlook (AEO) (https://bit.ly/3lMe67I). The pandemic also caused deep scars in the financing and debt landscape of the continent that may linger on if not quickly addressed.

At the launch of the AEO, Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz rightly explained how the COVID-19 pandemic caused both demand- and supply-side shocks in the continent. “It affected the demand for exports of African countries…but it also affected the willingness of people to work in some of the more exposed sectors and its effects were very disparate across different sectors.”
Following Stiglitz’s train of thought, Africa’s projected recovery will be subject to an unusually high level of uncertainty and risks, as is also pointed out in the analyses of the AEO.
Recovery prospects and risks 
The most obvious risk to the recovery is the disease itself. The emergence of more contagious strains of the COVID-19 virus could derail the recovery process. Furthermore, if progress in deploying safe and effective treatment is slower than expected, governments would have to reinstate restrictions. On the upside, if COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines become accessible in the continent earlier than anticipated, the growth projection for 2021 could be exceeded, leading to a more robust recovery.
Another risk factor relates to the financial inflows to the continent. Although commodity prices have recovered somewhat from the low levels seen in mid-2020, they remain subdued compared to their pre-pandemic levels. Remittances are estimated to have dropped by nearly 10% in 2020, while tourism, foreign direct investments, and portfolio investments were halted in many countries. If these sources of inflows do not rebound, public finances in many African economies will remain suppressed, jeopardizing the projected recovery.
Social and geopolitical tensions in the region are also a major source of risk. The number of conflict-related events in the continent, including political violence, rose in 43 countries in 2020. If these tensions are not properly defused, they could result in policy uncertainty, dampening investor confidence, and could ultimately derail growth prospects.
Policies to sustain the recovery
In the end, government policies could make or break the recovery. For example, governments’ containment measures have helped accelerate digitalization in Africa, with more people adopting digital transactions, virtual meetings, e-medicine, e-commerce and other electronic platforms. If digitalization is sustained in the post-pandemic era, it would accelerate productivity and foster rapid and quality growth.
Furthermore, policymakers must not prematurely withdraw the current fiscal and monetary stimulus packages that have supported recovery. Support for the health sector should continue to consolidate gains in the fight against the virus. Effective policies to retool Africa’s labour force for the future of work must also be aggressively pursued. The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement should be used to strengthen regional and multinational trade and cooperation to stimulate shared prosperity. New public investment projects should focus on pandemic- and climate-proof infrastructure to help build economic resilience.
The impact of school closures on human capital development and the inequalities it creates between the rich and the poor, and between girls and boys, must be mitigated through targeted policies. Whenever in-person learning is possible, schools should open with the appropriate safety protocols in place. Otherwise, learning should continue using traditional media – print, radio, TV – and digital technologies such as smartphones and computers. Social safety nets, including cash transfers and in-kind support, should be expanded to include previously neglected groups in slums and informal businesses, taking advantage of the accelerated digital penetration.
Policies to strengthen good governance and structural reforms should be aggressively implemented as part of efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis and avoid a looming debt crisis. African countries must eradicate all forms of “leakages” in public finances and pursue an all-out effort to harness digital technologies to propel the continent into the fourth industrial revolution and into a future that is far more resilient to economic shocks.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
About the Authors: Chuku Chuku is OIC Division Manager for the Macroeconomic Policy, Debt Sustainability and Forecasting Division of the African Development Bank; Adamon Mukasa is a Senior Research Economist with the Macroeconomic Policy, Debt Sustainability and Forecasting Division; and Yaye Betty Camara is a Research Analyst and Environmental Economist with the Macroeconomic Policy, Debt Sustainability and Forecasting Division.

Light at the end of the tunnel for Africa’s economic recovery (By Chuku, Adamon Mukasa and Yaye Betty Camara)

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BSMO Co., Ltd. (https://BSMO-net.com/en/company/) and SBI Africa Co., Ltd. (https://SBIMotor.com/) have established the SBI Motor Tanzania office in Dar es Salaam, the very first official SBI Motor office in Africa. The group will be working in partnership with Afritel Systems LTD, which handles customs clearance and land transportation arrangements locally in Tanzania.

SBI Africa, in alliance with BSMO, has been focusing on used car exports as its core business in the African region. Thanks to this partnership, the group has already started selling cars in more than 50 countries worldwide and has achieved rapid growth, since beginning of the alliance in February 2021.

To scale the business in the region, local staff is set up ready to provide thorough support to all customers. The group is planning on recruiting distributors all across the East Africa region, as the business plans to increase the number of exports up to 10,000 units per month in the near future.

Moreover, the group has also partnered with Saint Parts Co., LTD. to provide a free repair service for cars purchased from the SBI Motor website. This new service aims to provide support for customers who may need to inspect their vehicles in Tanzania as a result of the recent change in import rules which disallows car inspection in Japan prior to export.

The BSMO x SBI Africa partnership is actively looking for new partnerships in the region as SBI Motor continues to increase its presence in Africa and beyond.
For more details on SBI Tanzania branch operations and collaborations, please visit https://SBIMotor.com/tanzania
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of BSMO Co., Ltd..
Media Contact: SBI Motor Tanzania Office New Ushirika Tower 12 Floor Lumumba Street P.O.Box 104784 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania TEL: +255653793308 Email: info@afritelsystems.co.tz   BSMO Co.,Ltd. CEO: Tadashi Shimizu 1-17-1 Toranomon Minato-ku Tokyo Toranomon Hills Business Tower 14F Business Description: Digital marketing, product branding, media business, system development, artificial intelligence (AI) product development, etc.
SBI Africa Co., Ltd. CEO: Tomoya Kitagawa 1-6-1 Roppongi Minato-ku Tokyo Izumi Garden Tower 15F Business Description: Overseas vehicle export, financial service provision in partnership with overseas financial institutions, venture capital investment targeting the African region, etc.

SBI Motor Japan officially establishes its very first office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and begins taking applications for new partnerships in the East African region

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